Lubricating apparatus



Nov, 3, 14931. E, w DAWS 1,830,643

LUBRICATING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 14, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 3, 1931. E. w. DAVIS 1,830,643

LUBRICATING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 14. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheei'l 2 Nv. 3, 1931. E. w. DAVIS E,830,643

LUBRICATING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 14, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 3, 1.931

UNrri-:nv STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST W. DAVIS, F OAK-PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 ALEMITE OOBPORAT'ION, 0F

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE y LUBRICATING APPARATUS 'A Application led January 14, 1.928, Serial No. 246,739. Renewed April 6,-. 1931.

A further object is to provide an improvedpneumatically-operated compressor which is simple in construction, has a.minimum num'- her of moving parts, and which may be economically` manufactured.

A further object is to provide an improved compressor in which the presence of air in the lubricant does not prevent its elcient operation.

A further object is to provide a lubricant compressor, the operation of which is not hindered by the presence of foreign material in the lubricant.

A further object is to provide improved 25 controlling means for the compressor whereby it will operate to build up a predetermined pressure and cease operation as soon as that v pressure has been reached.

A further object is to provide an improved quick snap-over airvalve.

Other objects Will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved lubricant compressorjand controlling mechanism;

Fig. 2 is; a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section thereof taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizont-al section Ataken on the line 4-4 of F ig., 3;

. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3; and

' Figs. 6 and-7 are'veitical sectional views of the plunger and cylinder, the plunger being shown in its two extreme positions.

My improved compressor'. comprises a cylindrical container 8 having a cover 10 and 1l. bottoni 12 which is secured to a suitable cylinder casting 14 by bolts 16. The cylinder lower edge of the cylindrical container rest in a groove 26 formed in the .bottom 12 and wedging it therein by calking of lead or similar material.

The cylinder casting 14 has a suitable supply chamber 28 therein which is in direct communication with the lubricant in the container 8. While the compressor may be used with other lubricants, it is particularly designed or the supply of grease under high pressure, and the term grease will hereinafter be used as including all similar substances.

A cylinder 30 is formed in a bored plug 3 2 which is threaded in the cylinder casting 14. The right-hand end portion of the plug 32 (Figs. 3, 6 and 7) is hardened to the degree of tool steel. A check valve 34 is held against an annular seat-36 b a compression 'spring 38, the other end o -which rests against a shoulder formed in a union 40 to which the outlet conduit 41 .is connected. The seat 36 has a sharp edge formed by the intersection of the cylindrical surface 30 with the beveled surface of a shoulder. lThe angle ofY thisbevel l.is slightly exaggerated in the drawings.

As best illustrated in Fig. 5, the valve 34 has a plurality of guiding lugs 42 which serve properly to space the valve o ver its seat and permit the passageof lubricant when the valve has been raised from its seat. This valve is a thinv metal disc and thus very light shown at 48, this taper forming a recess for the collection of grease as theA plunger 44 moves tothe right. This collection of grease, which is drawn along with the plunger, forms a tight seal around the plunger so that no .packing is required. The plunger 44 is rig- Y idly secured to an air piston 50 which is recylinder through theport 64. The piston 50` has an axial bore 68 and has a plurality of radial passages 70 connecting the bore 68 with the annular space 72 between the piston 50 and the walls of the cylinder 52.

The supply of air for operating the piston 50 is provided from any suitable source through a pipe 7 4, which may be shut o by a globe valve 75, the pipe being threaded in a bushing 76, and the bushing being threaded in an air valve body 78. The bushing 76 has a plurality of slots 80 cut in its lower end which permit passage of air past a ball 82 which is normally held against the end of the bushing- 76 by a spring 84. A valve seat 86 is provided in the body 7 8 and is adapted to be covered by the ball 82 thereby to prevent passage of air from the conduit 74 to a conv vduit 88 which is in communication with a chamber 90 formed beneath the valve seat 76. T he conduit 88 is connected to the inlet opening 64 of the air cylinder. The compression of the spring 84 is controlled by the pressure in the grease discharge conduit 41 which acts upon a cup leather'piston 92, which is rigidly secured to a stem 94, the upper end of which is shouldered to form a seat for the spring 84. rThe cup leather piston 92 is reciprocable in a cylinder 96 formed in a casting 98 which is threaded to the lower end of the body 78.

Suitable packing 100 is compressed between the casting 98 and the body 78 to form a stuiing box for the Arod94. The discharge -conduit 41 is connected to supply lubricant to the upper end of the cylinder 96. A conduit 102 is also connected at the upper end of the cvlinder 96 and leads to any suitable means which may be used tosupply the grease to the bearings.v rllhe stem' 94 is normally held in its uppermost position by a spring 104. the lower end of which rests upon a plug 106 threaded in the lower end of the casting 98 and the upper end o which engages a member 108 which has a projection 110 protruding into the bore of the cylinder 92 and which engages the end of the stem 94.

The compressor is adapted to be used where a supply of air under moderate pressures is readily available and where it is desired to supply grease under high pressures 'for application to bearings. The compressor is adapted to maintain grease under high pressure in the discharge conduit automatically, accomplishing this `purpose by automatically controlling the admission of air to the air cylinder.

In operation, the supply pipe 74 is connected to the source of air under pressure and the air will normally ow past the ball valve 82, throu h the conduit 88, into the annular space 72 of the air cylinder and thereafter through the radial passages to the right-hand end of the cylinder 52. Since the effective area of the right-hand end of the piston 50 (Fig. 3). is greater than the area of the annular shoulder 66 formed between the enlarged end of the piston and the portion 56 of the piston, the piston will be forced to the left, from the position shown in Fig. 3. until the admission of air to the right of the pistonis cut oil by the movement of the passageways 70 past the end of the annular space 72. The piston 50 and plunger 44, however, will have acquired suliicient mo- 'menturn to carry the end of the plunger 44 -in the annular space 72 will be compressed and form a cushion to stop the piston. After the piston has moved a sufiicient distance to the left, the passageways 70 will clear the cylindrical surface 58 and permit the exhaust of the air within te cylinder 52. This exhaust takes place just as the end of the plunger 44 enters the cylinder 30. rllhe momentum of the plunger, however, is sulicient to cause the plunger to continue movement into the cylinder 30 and force all the grease contained therein past the check valve 34.

As soon as the pressure on the large face of the piston 50 is lowered, the air pressure on the annular face 66 of the piston is Sullicient to cause return movement thereof. This movement continues until the momentum of the return movement of the piston is checked by the air which is admitted as soon as the passageways 70 again communicate with the annular space 72 formed around the piston.

The position ofthe piston shown 1n Fig. 3 is the extreme position taken at the end of the return stroke and illustrates the fact that the piston is cushioned by air to prevent the piston from contact with the plug 60.

The reciprocation orA the piston is extreme- 1y rapid so that when compressing such subcontainer is not suficiently rapid to fill, or

even partially fill. the cylinder 30. This is especially true it air pockets happen to be in the grease. n Figs. 6 and 7. l have illus- -trated the eect of air pockets in the grease. ln compressors. as formerly made. the plunger would be drawn only a short distance from the end of the cylinder so that, if, for

-kinds are frequently present.

example, an air pocket were formed adjacent the end'of the cylinder, as'shown in Fig. 6', and the plunger withdrawn only a short distance, the plunger would fail to discharge the air. This is due to the fact that the fit between the plunger and the cylinder is not air-tight and the air would leak around the plunger as it moved into its cylinder. If, however, a suflicient amount of grease is forced in with the air, the grease will form a seal so that the air and grease together willbe forced' past the check-valve 34.` I have discovered that this may be accomplished by providing the plunger with an extremely long stroke. This will permit the grease to close in partially on the air pockets, as illustrated in Fig. 7, so that upon the compression strokethe plunger will scrape off a portion of the grease, at least sufficient to form a seal between the plunger and the cylinder. As long as sufficient grease is present to form the seal ythe air may readi y be discharged from the compressor. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the successive stages of the ejection of grease which has a number of air pockets therein. A

In ordinary greases, impurities of various impurities may be hard,'such as metal chips, filings, andysimilar substances. In ordinary compressors, these impurities frequently lodge between the cylinder and plunger and thus cause the parts either t'o score, chip orV i be broken.' Forthis reason, lthe plunger and the end of the cylinder 4are hardened sufficiently to shear any impurities which may be lodged at the edge of the cylinder 30 and force them from the cylinder. The life of the compressor is thereby materially extended and its eiciency greatly improved even when the compressor is abused by using ordinary impure greases.

After the pressure in the conduit 41 has been built up to a predetermined maximum, the lubricant will exert a, downward pressure upon the cup leather 92 and against the compression of the spring 104 until the compression on the spring 84, which holds the ball valve 82 upwardly, is suiliciently released to permit the air which. passes the ball to force it downwardly against its seat 86. As soon as the ball is seated, the air pressure will maintain it firmly upon its seat. lVhen,

however, the pressure in the discharge conduit 41 is suiiiiently lowered the spring 104 will force the stem 94 upwardly and compress the spring 84 until, when the spring has been compressed a predetermined amount, the ball lwill snap suddenly upwardly, again admitting air to the air cylinder, and thus cause actuation of the plunger pump. The pressure of the grease in the discharge conduit may thus be maintained between certain predetermined limits, depending upon the adjustment of the spring 104. When the com- Some of these pressor is not in use, the supply of air may be shut ofi' by means of the valve .7 5.

The invention is capable of wide variation withinequivalent limits and I contemplate such'variation as may be desirable or useful in the particular adaptation of the invention shown, orin its adaptation to other machines. I do not restrict myself in any unessential particulars, but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In apparatus of the. class described, the combination of a cylinder, a plunger reciprocable into said cylinder to discharge lubricant therefrom, the stroke of said plunger being substantially longer than said cylinder, and means for applying power to move said plunger toward said cylinder and fo'r stopping the application of power to said plunger prior to the entrance of said plunger in said cylinder, whereby the plunger will, by the force of its momentum, displace the lubricant from said cylinder.

` 2. In a device of the class described, tlie combination of a lubricant compression cylinder, a valveA normally closing one end ofl inder, means for applying power to move said plunger toward said cylinder, and means for stopping the application of power to said plunger prior to the entrance of said plunger in said cylinder, whereby the plunger will displace lubricant in said cylinder by the force of momentum of the plunger.

4. 'A lubricant compressor comprising a cylinder, a plunger reciprocable into said cylinder, and means for imparting motion` to said plunger, said means being operative only during that portion of the compression stroke thereof which takes place prior to the entrance of the plunger into said cylinder.

5. Lubricating apparatus of the class described, comprising a lubricant compression cylinder, means to supply lubricant thereto, a plunger reciprocable into said cylinder, an air cylinder, an air piston reciprocable in said air cylinder, an operative connection between said plunger and' said air piston, a.

6. in apparatus ef the class described, the combination of a, compression cyliner, e check valve normally closing one end thereof, ay supply-reservoir et the -other end 'of saifi cylinder, and a plunger movable into said cylinder and out of said cylinder into si reservoir, the stroke of said plun er being at least twice the length of sai cy incler.

"4. in a lubricant compressor, the combination of a compression cylinder, a piunger reciprocahle iherein to displace the lubricani: therefrom, an enlarged here ai; the (iischarge en@` oi3 said cylincier, a iight Weight hard thin metallic dise Valve having :i notched peripheral edge reciprocable in said eniargeci bore, Y:inde sprin Within said enlarged here normally holcling said. disc valve egeinst the emi of seici cyiiner.

8. in a cie-vice oit' the class eiescribe'., the combination a body casting, a plug remoi/ably securef in saicl hocly and haing :i cylindrical here iherein, e hardened annuler :shoulder sloping away from the discharge end of saifi cylincirical here thereby forming en erige ai +he ischeige end of the cylindrical here. and e, spring pressed' thin metallic disc resilienisi held against seid erige and forming 'the cuties veive ci sail cyiinc'i'er.

9. iubricenf'; compressor coifnprisingl an open emi iubrieenf: cylinder, en air cylinder in aiignrnen therewith, e plunger reciprocabie inic saisi iubrican't eylncier, e piston in sici air cyliner, saici plunger anti piston being rigidiy interconnecteri, and means op erable h v ssiici piston to admit air under pressure to saisi air cylinder ai: one side of sai piston during eportion only of its operative stroke anfi ihereaiter to relieve the air pressure et saicl sicle or said piston.

1G. i lubricant compressor comprising e lubricant reservoir, a high pressure cylinder associaie therewith, a piunger reciproceble' into saici hifrh pressure cylinder, an air cylinder having en air iniet port therein, means te supply air under pressure to said inlet pori, incl a pison reciprocabie in said air cylinder anri connectedv with said plunger, saici piston having a passageway extending therethrough, saifi 'passageway being in coni- Inunice-ion with saii air inie port during n 'portion enig of alie operative siroke o saisi piston.

in Witness whereof, i' hereun'e subscribe my naine his lith den of January, iQQS.

Vil. DA S.

senses 

